Great Places To Retire - Australia

Australia - imagine living here - but is it a great place to retire too?


Australia the unknown land in the south offers unbeatable lifestyle compared with awesome natural beauty.  Australia is a continent full of superlatives: the Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef; Mount Augustus, claimed to be the world's largest monolith; Australia is the flattest continent, with the oldest and least fertile soils; the population density is among the lowest in the world and Australia has the greatest number of reptiles of any country.

Sydney offers vibrant living and a comfortable climate but it is more expensive to live here than anywhere else in Australia. Canberra the nations capitol, offers a fantastic lifestyle, is very family friendly and a relaxed place to live. Melbourne is probably a more liveable city than Sydney, but the climate isn´t that nice, especially at winter time. Adelaide's biggest advantage is it's low cost of living, compared to other mayor Australian cities it offers the cheapest real estate prices. Perth has possibly the best climate in Australia but on the other hand it is very isolated. Darwin is probably the most exotic city in Australia with a tropical climate and the cost of living is quite high.

Stop - click here to avoid expensive mistakes before you even think about moving to Australia!

Australia in quick facts:
Size total: 7,686,850 sq km
Population: 21,007,310
Capitol: Canberra
Climate: generally arid to semiarid; temperate in south and east; tropical in north
Languages: English 79.1%, Chinese 2.1%, Italian 1.9%, other 11.1%, unspecified 5.8%
Government type: federal parliamentary democracy
Legal system: based on English common law
Ethnic groups: white 92%, Asian 7%, aboriginal and other 1%
Natural hazards: cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires

Big Mac Index: 3.96
Quality Life Index: 6
Peace Index: 19  

What are the requirements for a "retirement" visa in Australia?
You can apply for an "Investor Retirement Visa". The Applicant must be 55 years or older, have no dependents (other than a partner who can be any age) the visa that allows you to stay in Australia for four years, you can keep applying for subsequent Investor Retirement visas. You must have assets valued at least AUD750 000 (US$ 688.000) and must be able to make a designated investment of AUD750 000 (AUD500 000 for regional Australia. You (or you and your partner combined) must have access to a minimum net income of AUD65 000 (for example, pension rights) (regional Australia minimum income of AUD50 000). If you are less than 45 years old you can apply for the Australia Skilled Visa. For example there is currently a shortage of doctors and nurses in Australia.
"Nursing in Australia"  - A Guide to Working and Living as a Nurse Down Under.  Everything a nurse needs to know about coming to work and live in Australia.

 

What is the cost of living in Australia?
Australia is not a cheap place to retire. Let´s check the cost of living ranking for major cities in the world to get an overview. If you choose Sidney as your favorite city in Australia, it is on place 24 on the international ranking, compared to London: 17, New York: 27, Melbourne: 33, Dublin: 42, Frankfurt: 50 (the smaller the number the higher the cost of living). 

Will the climate in Australia be right for you?
The climate of Australia varies widely, but by far the largest part of Australia is desert or semi-arid, 40% of the landmass is covered by sand dunes. The south-east and south-west parts have a temperate climate. The northern part of the country has a tropical climate, varied between tropical rainforests, grasslands and part desert. The daily maximum temperature in Sydney range through out the year between 16 and 26°C.

How about the safety in Australia?
Australia is a relatively safe place to live, but it depends where you stay. The crime rate in the mayor cities is comparable to the USA, but little in rural areas and small communities. But aside of crime, Australia definitely has some of the world's most painful and poisonous creatures.

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